Churcill demands ban on 'rave parties'

Panaji, Mar 11 (UNI) PWD Minister Churchill Alemao today urged for a ban on ''rave parties'', marked with serving of psychedelic drugs to tourists, that has been damaging the image of Goa as an International tourist destination.

Mr Churchill was interacting with mediapersons on the sidelines of a proposed cabinet reshuffle in which one of the Congress Ministers had to be dropped to accommodate MGP legislator Ramakrishna Dhavalikar as per decision of the coalition partners' co-ordination committee meeting.

Mr Churchill, however, said he was not against casinos, both on and off-shore as they fetched additional revenue to the exchequer without entailing any crime involving the rich customers.

The Minister also joined chorus with Tourism Minister Micky Pascheco in strengthening the police force to tighten security along the beaches, besides initiating action against delinquent cops.

He said police has to keep strict vigil so that Goa gets rid of crime including drug trafficking, murder, rapes and drowning cases, which had been bringing bad name to the tourist State.

Stating that four-lane express highway for faster commutation to promote tourism between Patradevi and Canacona linking the North and South Goa will be built under BOOT basis, he pleaded for speeding up the proposed monorail project linking Margao and Panaji.

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